About Development & Operations grants
Development & Operations grants aim to assist the ongoing development of community broadcasting throughout Australia. This grant category aims to maintain, expand and/or strengthen the operations and broadcast capabilities of community broadcasting stations through support for core operations, support for development projects and support for necessary infrastructure.
This year we are particularly looking to:
Consideration of Development & Operations grants is the responsibility of the Development & Operations Grants Advisory Committee (DOGAC). You will receive early advice about the success of your application.
Links and downloads
You can preview the application form and grant guidelines by clicking the 'preview the form' icon above. Alternately you can download a PDF preview of the Development & Operations application summary and grant guidelines here.
If you would like to skip straight to the project details component of the application, which will be added to your Development & Operations Grant summary, you can download those sections of the application here:
Please note that drop-down menu and links are not available for preview in PDF format. These files will show you the questions asked in the forms and the type of information you will be required to provide when the grant round opens on 2 January, 2017.
Talk to us
We strongly encourage you to discuss your project with a CBF Grants Administrator before submitting your application. They can provide advice on the types of projects funded in this category and what information you should include in your application.
For assistance in applying please see links to further information below. If you would prefer to apply for the grant using a word processing document, contact a CBF Grants Administrator by:
Telephone: (03) 8341 5900
Email: grants@cbf.com.au
For further information see:
General information for all applicants
SmartyGrants Guide for Applicants
* * *
This grant round has now closed. While the grant guidelines for the next round may change, the guidelines for the last round are below for your reference.
* * *
Development & Operations Grant Guidelines
Please read these grant guidelines before you apply. They include important information about this grant category as well as what purposes you can use this grant for and the criteria which will be used by the assessors to consider your application. Please note, funding for Development & Operations Grants is limited by the available funding levels.
Development & Operations grants aim to assist the ongoing development of community broadcasting throughout Australia. This grant category aims to maintain, expand and/or strengthen the operations and broadcast capabilities of community broadcasting stations through support for core operations, support for development projects and support for necessary infrastructure.
This year we are particularly looking to:
You can apply for a Development & Operations grant if you are:
Community broadcasting sector organisations provide services and resources for the sector.
A station with a temporary licence must have been on air for at least two years cumulatively prior to applying.
You can apply for core operational support such as salary subsidies for key personnel, support to cover the costs of transmission, technical support and financial management.
You can also apply for any number of development activities and prioritise those activities within your application. This can include:
Organisations seeking support for core operations should demonstrate how they will address the funding objective above, such as:
You may apply to be considered for multi-year funding support. If your request is accepted, you will be required to provide additional information such as more detailed budgets and planning documentation.
For inspiration and examples of funded projects, see Success Stories on the CBF website.
There is no limit to how much you can apply for, but applicants should note that assessors will take the value represented by your proposal into account in their assessment scores.
Each individual proposal requesting $50,000 or more within your overall application must demonstrate financial contributions from other funding sources such as other funding partners, sponsors, crowdfunding or financial contributions from your organisation’s own resources. The proportion of the co-contribution may be considered in assessment. Such contributions are in addition to any in-kind or volunteer support.
The Development & Operations Grants Advisory Committee (DOGAC) will apply the following priority weightings on assessment scores to applications from:
These applicants will receive a weighting on their assessment score as described in section 8 below. An applicant may qualify for both weightings.
Stations delivering specialist programming content eligible for Specialist Radio Programming support through Content grants will receive special consideration due to dedicated funds being available to support stations carrying these programs. There are also dedicated funds available to support the costs of transmission for community radio stations.
FAQ Link: How do the priority weightings work?
FAQ Link: What is meant by membership fees?
Your application will be competitively assessed on its merits.
Each part of your application will be read by panels of people drawn from the Development & Operations Grants Advisory Committee (DOGAC) and from our assessor pool.
You may suggest that assessors with a particular cultural background, gender or skill set [listed in the application form] that would be the most appropriate to read and score each of your proposals.
The DOGAC will consider assessment scores and comments for each part of your application on its merits and in the context of your overall proposal, and will make recommendations to the CBF Board.
Your application may receive part support, i.e. some proposals within your application may be supported and some may not. For a visual representation of the assessment process, click here [link to be provided].
This proposal will be assessed on the following basis:
Weighting |
Criteria |
Example application form questions |
30% |
Idea – the application puts forward a reasonable proposal or concept for which there is a demonstrated need. The proposal meets the objective of the grant category and aligns with your strategic plan. |
What would you like to do and why is it important? How will you build the governance, operational, technical or community engagement capacity of your station (or community broadcasting stations generally)? Hint: how does this proposal support your organisation’s strategic plan? |
40% |
Impact – the application will have a demonstrable, positive outcome for the station / sector / community. |
Who will the proposal benefit? How will you measure its success? |
30% |
Implementation – the application shows that you can complete the project, demonstrating clear planning and good value for money. |
How will the proposed activity be carried out? Who will be involved? Provide details of the Budget. |
Note: Supporting documents provided will also be considered against relevant grant criteria.
Your entire Development & Operations grant application will be considered by the DOGAC, on the basis of:
FAQ Link: How will the application be assessed?
Applicants are required to provide your most recent Annual Report and financial statements, even if you have supplied this information to the CBF previously.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to include the following supporting documentation: